Sports
North Carolina battles Ole Miss after rout in First Four
Mar 18, 2025; Dayton, OH, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard RJ Davis (4) reacts in the first half against the San Diego State Aztecs at UD Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images MILWAUKEE — The question of which team sixth-seeded Ole Miss would face in the first round of the NCAA Tournament South Region on Friday was emphatically answered by North Carolina.
The 11th-seeded Tar Heels (23-13), whose spot in the tournament was roundly questioned, advanced with a 95-68 rout of San Diego State in a First Four matchup Tuesday behind 26 points from RJ Davis. It was North Carolina’s ninth win in its last 11 games.
“We’re getting better,” North Carolina coach Hubert Davis said afterward. “And over the last month and half, two months, we’ve just gotten better and better. And it’s coming at the right time.”
Ole Miss (22-11) lost to Auburn 62-57 in the quarterfinals of the Southeastern Conference tournament. Their No. 6 seed is the highest since the Rebels were a No. 3 in 2001, when they advanced to the Sweet 16. The Rebels are making their 10th appearance in the NCAA Tournament and first since a 95-72 first-round loss to Oklahoma in 2019.
Ole Miss has been inconsistent but has victories over Alabama and Tennessee — both No. 2 seeds. The Rebels average 77.2 points per game, allowing 71.7. Ole Miss is 10-2 when scoring 80 points or more.
“An interesting thing about our resume; you know we didn’t lose a game this year to a team that’s not in the NCAA Tournament,” Ole Miss coach Chris Beard said Monday.
Sean Pedulla averages 14.9 points, including a team-high 78 3-pointers, to pace a balanced attack. Five other players average at least 10.0 points per game.
Malik Dia is the leading rebounder with 5.7 per game, but the Rebels have been outrebounded by 4.7 per contest.
Mississippi is the fourth program Beard has taken to the NCAA Tournament. He has never lost a first-round game.
“Every member of our staff has been a part of NCAA Tournament wins and runs,” Beard said. “So just trying to share our knowledge and our experiences with our players. Things as easy as logistics, how the practice times will work, how the kind of neutral crowds are going to feel the first and second rounds.”
Seven of North Carolina’s 13 losses have come against teams that are either No. 1 or No. 2 seeds in the tournament, including three to Duke.
Against San Diego State, Davis hit 8 of 12 shots, including all six attempts from beyond the arc. The 14 3-pointers by the Tar Heels were their most ever in an NCAA Tournament game.
Davis averages 17.3 points with a team-leading 84 3-pointers. Ian Jackson adds 12.3 points and Seth Trimble 11.7.
North Carolina averages 81.2 points and allows 74.8. The Tar Heels are 15-3 when scoring 80 points or more.
“It would be great if we hit 14 threes on Friday. I’ll take that,” Davis said. “But the reason that I consistently tell the team the three boxes we have to check is defense, rebounding, take care of the basketball. Those are the things that travel and those are the things you can take care of.”
The Tar Heels are in the NCAA Tournament for the 54th time, second only to Kentucky.
–By Jim Hoehn, Field Level Media
Sports
Evander's hat trick, late PK boost Cincinnati over Fire
May 2, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; FC Cincinnati midfielder Evander (10) scores a goal during the first half against the Chicago Fire FC at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Talia Sprague-Imagn Images Evander converted a penalty kick seven minutes into second-half stoppage time to secure a hat trick and lift FC Cincinnati to a 3-2 road win over the Chicago Fire on Saturday.
Evander collected a brace in the first half and then added his third goal for the late winner. A yellow card was issued to Chicago’s Dje D’Avilla for a foul in the box on Pavel Bucha, leading to the deciding penalty kick.
The winning goal came six minutes after Chicago striker Hugo Cuypers missed his own chance to complete a hat trick with a penalty-kick strike. Goalkeeper Roman Celentano (eight saves) made a huge save to deny Cuypers and preserve the 2-2 score.
FC Cincinnati (4-4-3, 15 points) won despite playing with only 10 men for most of the second half. Defender Kyle Smith was issued a straight red card in the 56th minute for an accidental kick to the face of the Fire’s Robin Lod.
Cincinnati is unbeaten in its last five (2-0-3) matches, including a 3-3 draw with the Fire two weeks prior.
The victory was Cincinnati’s first win in six road matches this season (1-3-2). FC Cincinnati are 5-0-1 in their last six trips to Chicago.
The Fire (5-3-2, 17 points) have held leads in all three of their losses this season. Saturday’s defeat ended a five-match (4-0-1) unbeaten streak for the home side.
After going scoreless in his first six regular-season matches, Evander now has five goals in his last four matches.
Cuypers has 10 goals in seven league matches this season, scoring at least once in every appearance. Cuypers’ three straight matches with multiple goals ties the second-longest brace streak in MLS history.
The forward started early Saturday, as Cuypers converted a shot that deflected off Smith and into the net in the 16th minute.
Shaky defending also aided in Evander’s equalizer in the 24th minute. During a scramble in front of the Fire’s net, Chicago center back Mbekezeli Mbokazi made a poor touch on a clearance attempt that put the ball right at Evander’s feet for the finish.
Cuypers completed the brace four minutes later, but Evander provided another quick response in the 31st minute.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Royals' Maikel Garcia's sacrifice fly beats Mariners in 10th
May 2, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Kansas City Royals third baseman Maikel Garcia (11) hits an RBI-sacrifice fly against the Seattle Mariners during the tenth inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images Maikel Garcia’s sacrifice fly scored the go-ahead run in the 10th inning as the Kansas City Royals rallied to defeat the host Seattle Mariners 3-2 Saturday night.
Automatic runner Michael Massey stole third base in the top of the 10th and scored an out later as Garcia flew out to center field off Cooper Criswell (1-1).
Royals reliever Matt Strahm (1-0) got the victory and Lucas Erceg retired the side in order in the 10th to earn his ninth save of the season.
The Royals tied it at 2-2 in the ninth off Mariners closer Andres Munoz. Salvador Perez lined a leadoff single to right and was replaced by pinch runner Lane Thomas, who advanced to second on a balk. With one out, Jac Caglianone lined a single to left-center, with the ball bouncing between the legs of outfielder Julio Rodriguez and rolling all the way to the wall, allowing Thomas to score and Caglianone to take third.
Seattle starter Emerson Hancock didn’t get a decision despite striking out a career-high 14 batters on the night the Mariners retired former ace Randy Johnson’s jersey No. 51.
Hancock went seven innings and allowed one run on six hits. The right-hander didn’t walk a batter and eclipsed his previous best of nine strikeouts set March 29 against Cleveland in his first start of the season.
Kansas City right-hander Seth Lugo also put up a quality start. Lugo pitched six innings and gave up two runs on seven hits, with two walks and six strikeouts.
The Mariners took the lead in the first inning as, with one out, Rodriguez hit a ground-rule double to right-center and Josh Naylor followed by lining a run-scoring single to center.
The Royals tied it in the third as Kyle Isbel doubled to right with one out and Garcia doubled to left.
The Mariners broke a 1-all tie in the fifth inning. With one out, No. 9 hitter Leo Rivas lined a single to right field, J.P. Crawford grounded a single to left and Rodriguez reached on an infield single up the middle to load the bases.
Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. made a diving stop on Rodriguez’s hit but had trouble getting the ball out of his mitt and was unable to get a forceout at second. With Naylor at the plate, Lugo threw a breaking pitch in the dirt that got away from catcher Carter Jensen, allowing Rivas to score standing up. Lugo struck out Naylor before walking Randy Arozarena to reload the bases. Cole Young worked the count to 2-2 before Lugo threw a slider that was way outside. Arozarena apparently thought it was ball four and was picked off first base to end the inning.
Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh was a late scratch due to undisclosed reasons.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Angels walk off Mets in 10th, halt 7-game skid
May 2, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Los Angeles Angels second baseman Vaughn Grissom (5) forces out New York Mets designated hitter Juan Soto (22) at second base in the sixth inning at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Oswald Peraza hit an RBI single with two outs and the bases loaded in the bottom of the 10th inning as the Los Angeles Angels snapped a seven-game losing streak with a 4-3 victory over the New York Mets on Saturday night in Anaheim, Calif.
Pereza, who finished with three hits, lined an 0-2 curveball from New York reliever Austin Warren (0-1) into the gap in left-center to easily drive in automatic runner Adam Frazier from third base.
Jo Adell went 3-for-5 with a run and an RBI, Mike Trout had two hits and a walk and Vaughn Grissom drove in two runs for Los Angeles, which won for just the second time in 13 games. Ryan Zeferjahn (2-1) threw two innings of hitless relief.
Austin Slater doubled among his two hits and scored and Mark Vientos doubled and scored for New York, which lost for the 18th time in its last 22 games. Rookie starter Nolan McLean left after four innings, the shortest start of his major league career, after allowing three runs on six hits and a walk while striking out six on 78 pitches.
Los Angeles took a 1-0 lead in the first inning with three consecutive two-out singles by Nolan Schanuel, Jorge Soler and Adell, the final one a single to right that drove in Schanuel. Slater threw out Soler attempting to advance to third for the final out, and replays showed Soler was tagged out before Schanuel crossed home plate, but the Mets didn’t challenge the play.
New York tied it in the third on an RBI single by Bo Bichette, driving in Slater, who had doubled down the left field line.
The Angels took a 3-1 lead in the fourth on a two-run single by Grissom with two outs. The Mets rallied to tie it in the seventh on a sacrifice fly by Andy Ibanez and an RBI single by Tyrone Taylor, then loaded the bases with one out. Replacing starter Reid Detmers, Sam Bachman escaped the jam by getting Bichette on a force play at the plate and striking out Juan Soto.
Detmers gave up three runs on nine hits in 6 1/3 innings, with eight strikeouts and no walks.
–Field Level Media
Evander's hat trick, late PK boost Cincinnati over Fire
Royals' Maikel Garcia's sacrifice fly beats Mariners in 10th
